


Never too gray for pink

by Bill_Longbow



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, X-Men (Movieverse)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Fluff, M/M, Older Characters, SO MUCH FLUFF, based on the characters played by Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-14
Updated: 2018-01-14
Packaged: 2019-03-04 18:25:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,121
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13370541
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bill_Longbow/pseuds/Bill_Longbow
Summary: When Erik breaks his hip after an unfortunate accident in his garage involving his motorbike (he'll forever deny that he didn't manage to put the thing on its stand and toppled over when still on it), he has to rehabilitate in a care home.





	Never too gray for pink

**Author's Note:**

  * For [genderfluid_pigeon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/genderfluid_pigeon/gifts).



> Something totally new, never wrote Cherik before, but Pigeon asked for this ship with the prompt and now I'm in love <3  
> NB these characters are based on the older actors (because they're adorable together)
> 
> For a key exchange on the Stuckony discord server I got this prompt:
> 
> "Why is your hair pink?"

He hated this whole sodding place. He hated the nurses with their know it all attitudes. He hated the ladies with their perms and knitworks and Opinions. He hated the sickening mint colour in the hallway. He hated the food, a very generous term for the colourless bland mush they were provided with every day at noon sharp. He hated the day's schedule, to which all the people around him clung with a desperate air. But most of all he hated mister straighter-than-an-arrow, perfect-grandfather-to-a-herd-of-adorable-and-well raised-children, I'm-looking-not-a-day-over-sixty Xavier. With his perfect teeth and politeness and  _ charm.  _ The ‘neighbour’ he had to share his room and bathroom with, their only privacy a thin curtain between the beds.

 

It wouldn't have been this bad if Charles wasn't so bloody perfect. But he had smiled, joked and winked his way straight into Erik’s shriveled old heart. Which was a cruel thing to do, unnecessary cruel. He had enough to deal with on a day to day basis without the complication of nursing a crush. A crush! He was 78 for Pete’s sake. Where was mister perfect teeth fifty years ago. Oh, that's right, creating his perfect little family. 

 

Erik couldn't wait to get out of this hellhole and get on with his life. He couldn't drive his motorbike anymore, but he would sell her and get a nice sports car instead. Maybe finally buy some property overseas. The big advantage of never settling down was that he wasn't short on cash, no kids to leech from him, no obligations to anyone. 

 

He sighed. That was about the only advantage now. All the people who he had looked down upon, with their mediocre lives and 2.6 children, driving a sedan and working in the same cubicle for 25 years,  _ those  _ people all had lots of visits from their kids, grandkids and neighbours.

 

His cleaning lady had visited, once. And his sister phoned him religiously every Sunday afternoon. That was it. Their other brothers and sister had all passed away. Just like his friends and former coworkers. He was one of the last, and he hated it. 

 

He sat up from where he was lying in bed by twisting his legs so they fell over the side and his upper body went upright in a jerk. One thing that was reasonably okay was the physiotherapy. They at least seemed to know what they were doing, and these tricks they taught him were kind of neat. He hated their chipper attitudes though. 

 

Just as he reached for his walker there was a commotion down the hallway. He heard nurses giggle and some lady cry out in outrage. He rolled his eyes, sighed and waited. Sure enough the commotion was coming his way. He turned a little on his bed so he could see the doorway, and surprise, surprise, Xavier came rolling through. 

 

“What the..?” Erik sputtered to give a name to the sight that greeted him. 

 

“What are you..?” He tried again and failed. All the while Charles smiled like the cat that got the canary. 

 

“Why is your hair pink?” Erik finally exclaimed. 

 

“Really? That’s what you're going with?” Charles teased while he brushed some glitter of his leg. 

 

“You're bald,” Erik felt the need to point out. 

 

“I'm quite aware,” Charles smirked, looking him straight in the eye. The way his eyes crinkled in mirth did nothing for Erik. Nothing whatsoever. Completely immune he was. Blast it.

 

Charles played with the hem of his purple, sequined blazer. Erik swore he would’ve twirled and made a bow if he hadn’t been in a wheelchair. “Aren’t you going to ask me where I’ve been, Erik?”

 

Erik rolled his eyes for good measure, to show he wasn’t curious (he was dying to know), but played along for Charles’ sake. “Pray tell, where have you been?”

 

“To the pride!” 

 

Erik narrowed his eyes. “To the pride?”

 

“Front float as well,” Charles nodded before wheeling a bit closer. He bent a bit forward in a conspiratorial way and whispered. “You wouldn’t believe the amount of arse I’ve seen today.”

 

Erik felt his eyes widen in surprise and Charles erupted in a full belly laugh.

 

“You.. wha… arse… huh?” Was the most eloquent he was capable of at the moment, while his mind was conjuring up all kinds of images, the next more raunchy than the last, Charles featuring prominently in all of them.

 

“Of course,” Charles replied. “You didn’t think I would miss a pride because of this old thing did you?” He patted the wheelchair as he spoke.

 

“But, but…” Erik sputtered. 

 

“Indeed, a lot of butts on display today.” Charles winked. He seemed to wait for some sort of reaction from Erik, who was still trying to wrap his head around the concept of Charles attending, no  _ participating _ in the LGBT pride parade. Of course this didn’t have to mean anything, he had fought enough prejudices in his lifetime to fall into that trap. But still. This could mean his crush might be less pathetic than he had assumed.

 

“And ah, you eh… did you  _ enjoy _ yourself?” Was what he finally settled on. This seemed safe enough.

 

“Immensely,” Charles replied easily. He leaned in again. “Have  _ you _ ever participated in such an event?”

 

Erik felt his temperature rise, was Charles asking what he thought he was asking? “I eh, I might have a lifetime membership card.”

 

“Do you now?”

 

Charles was rolling closer, and Erik simultaneously felt the urge to move away, while also being rooted to the spot. Charles reached out to take the remote control to Erik’s bed and made it go all the way down, until they were nearly eye to eye. Charles was awfully close now, and Erik most certainly wasn't blushing.

 

“And would you say you’re an  _ active _ member of the community?” Charles took Erik’s hand as he asked this.

 

Erik cleared his throat. “Depends on… depends on who’s asking.”

 

Charles hummed thoughtfully as he watched where he was softly stroking his thumb against Erik’s skin.

 

He looked up and Erik’s breath caught at the intensity in the dark brown eyes. “What if  _ I  _ were to ask?”

 

Suddenly Erik was overwhelmed by the ridiculousness of the situation and started to laugh hard enough for tears to gather in his eyes. Charles looked hurt as he started to pull back so Erik grabbed his hand tighter. “No, no, no, you don’t understand.” He wiped at his eyes with his free hand and smiled at Charles. “I might be tempted to kiss you, if not for that ridiculous wig!”

 

Charles simultaneously threw the wig through the room and leaned in to tenderly place a kiss on Erik’s lips, murmuring, “Pink is not my colour anyway.”

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> I based this fic on my experiences with the pride parade in Amsterdam, I don't know if parades in other parts of the world are as extravagant as there, but I had a wonderful time imagining Charles beaming at the crowd while surrounded by wonderful scantily clad dancers. 
> 
> Come say hi on [Tumblr](http://bill-longbow.tumblr.com)!


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